The Village Inn in Lenox will host a gala dinner to benefit BHS’s Ken Freeberg Fund for Special Needs Animals and SafePet, a cooperative program with Pittsfield’s Elizabeth Freeman Center. The event will take place on Sunday, April 27th 5 to 9 p.m. Guests will enjoy an open bar and sumptuous passed hors d’oeuvres; select a gourmet beef, chicken, fish, or vegetarian entrée; choose one of several wines presented by the sommelier; and delight in a selection of the chef’s specialty desserts.

The cost of the evening is $100 per person. This sum includes open bar, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, wine, tax, and gratuities. Billy and Pat Soto, owners of the Village Inn, are very generously donating all proceeds from the event to the shelter’s Ken Freeberg Fund and SafePet.

The Ken Freeberg Fund, named in memory of a longtime friend of the shelter, helps pay some or all of the costs of caring for animals who come to the shelter with extraordinary medical needs. SafePet is a program that helps women in violent or abusive situations by placing their pets in temporary loving foster homes. Many women are reluctant to leave their abuser for fear that the pet they leave behind will also be abused. By placing the pet in a safe foster home, BHS removes that obstacle. This program has enabled many women to take a needed first step toward a new life.

Reservations for the evening are limited and must be made in advance. For reservations or further information, call the shelter at 413/447-7878, Extension 31 or 413/229-8579.